Once/wk per body part effective?

[fit_4_forty]

Did any of you catch the latest Shape magazine where someone said that they worked upper body 1/wk, lower body 1/wk, and the response was that if you worked each body part just 1/wk you were basically starting over every time. I am just starting to use the PS series, so of course this was not what I wanted to hear. It doesn't really make sense to me, because why else would Cathe make the PS series if it didn't work? What do you guys think? Have you had good results with hitting each body part 1 time a week?

Appreciate your thoughts!

Rhonda

 

[Shaz]

Bodybuilders say that for maximum muscle growth you need to work the muscles really hard (heavy weight, low reps, several sets), then give them 5-7 days rest to grow.

If you are doing endurance-type workouts (low weights, high reps), then you can work the muscles more often.

Sharon.

 

[honeybunch]

Cathe's intent for the PS series was that it be used once a week. That sort of goes along with what Shape says, doesn't it?

I HAVE had good success with working each body part 1 time a week.

 

[Mindi]

Yup Shape is right. Muscles don't grow when you're working them, only when they're at rest. This method is the basis of the BodyRX workouts too. One muscle group, once a week, worked hard and then rested.

 

[Lydia L]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Sep-05-02 AT 08:39AM (Est)[/font][p] Yes, I saw that... it was a Q & A about experiencing muscle soreness after doing upper and lower strength sessions working for 1 hour at a time in a split format one day per week for the past 6 months.

According to Ken Alan, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise (one of Shape's fitness expert) replied that experiencing muscle soreness is normal when you workout your body parts so infrequently.... Your muscles experience "intense stimulus shocks" when you wait too long in-between workouts. He recommended cutting down the number of exercises and sets per muscle group so you can work all your muscles on two total body days for 1 hour and hit all body parts twice a week. He explains that after four days you start to loose the benefits of strength gains made by the last workout. According to Alan, "Training once a week is about as long as you can go without losing ground".

Very interesting-- I've had good strength gains & muscle building using Pure Strength as is... as well as Slow & Heavy. I think it depends on the individual and how quickly his/her body recuperates after a strength training session. I personally would try it once per week and see how it works for you. If it doesn't bring about the results you're looking for than perhaps hitting your body parts every 4 days might be the ticket. For some doing an intense strength workout twice in a one week with less rest days in-between might not allow sufficient recuperation time.

[font color="red" size="4" face="Lucida Calligraphy"]Lydia L[/font]

 

[fit_4_forty]

Thanks for your comments and reassurance. The message from Shape seems to be that 1 time per week is ineffective. But my intent was to hit the muscles 1 time per week, hard and heavy, as per Body Rx, to get maximum muscle growth. Your comments have all reassured me that it is a good method to try. So far this week, I am really enjoying it. I am concentrating on doing high weights, with lots of rest (i.e. stopping the video quite often for a breather). I used to feel guilty about stopping the video, like I was cheating. Now I realize we all have to go at our own pace!

I enjoy this website so much - it helps to motivate me and gives me new ideas to try. I picked up the Body Rx book as a result of some posts I'd read here. Very interesting.

Thanks all!
Rhonda

 

[honeybunch]

I'm glad to see that your going with this method of weight lifting. So many people on this site get carried away with lifting too many times per week....I guess they think more is better, but it ain't necessarily so.

 

[fit_4_forty]

Honeybunch -

I especially enjoyed reading your recent post about the great results heavy lifting has given you over the years! I am truly inspired. I'm finding it challenging to get really heavy while lifting at home, and still staying safe. That seems to be the beauty of the Cathe tapes - go as heavy as possible and stay safe for the at home audience!

 

[kathryn]

I'm thinking a once-a-week FULL BODY weight routine is like starting over, but if you do each body part once per week, you are actually working each body part (directly or indirectly) more than once a week, at least upper body. When you do chest work (unless you limit it to chest flyes) you are also working front shoulders and triceps as secondary muscles. Same with back and rear shoulder and biceps.

Corey Everson has said that she now follows a one-day-a-week per body part routine. Seems like it's good for maintenance.

 

[fit_4_forty]

Kathryn,

That's a really good point. I was considering doing the
Chest/Tri/Shoulders, then Legs, then Back/Biceps, then Legs again. Given the point you just made, it just might work!

 

[Mindi]

Hi Rhonda, glad you got the BodyRX. I'm so happy w/this program personally and how I can use Cathe videos in it.

Best of both worlds. Good luck!